


Crash and Burn

by thesometimeswarrior



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Dysfunctional Family, Ficlet, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26070778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: There’s not a funeral for him, after Stan fakes his death. He makes sure of it, ensures that the story the papers pick up about the accident goes to lengths to elaborate on the violent nature of the crash, how there was a fire, and everything burnt, and there was nothing left to bury.So it’s a shock when Shermie calls to tell him about a memorial service back home, about sittingshiva, and asks him if he’ll come.
Relationships: Ford Pines & Stan Pines, Stan Pines & His Family
Comments: 12
Kudos: 56





	Crash and Burn

**Author's Note:**

> Even though no one is really dead here--and so the Major Character Death warning doesn't apply--themes of death obviously come up here. Tread with caution if that's a trigger.

There’s not a funeral for him, after he fakes his death. He makes sure of it, ensures that the story the papers pick up about the accident goes to lengths to elaborate on the violent nature of the crash, how there was fire, and everything burnt, and there was nothing left to bury. 

(If he were Ford, he might say something smart about that, about those old stories about those birds that burn up and then walk out of the ashes as something new. But he’s not Ford, and isn’t that just the point?)

There’s not gonna be a funeral. So it’s a shock when Shermie calls to tell him about a memorial service back home and about sitting _shiva_ , and asks him if he’ll come.

(Hadn’t they all already sat _shiva_ for him ten years ago?)

“Look, Stanford,” Shermie says, over the phone—and Stan’s not used to that, doesn’t think he ever will be used to hearing Ford’s name but addressed at him. And hopefully—no, not _hopefully_ —it _will_ be temporary. But in the meantime, it’s jarring. “I know we haven’t really seen you in a while. Heck, _I_ haven’t been home in ages…and I know none of us had really been in touch with Stanley, but…it would mean a lot if you were there.”

It would mean a lot if he were there, huh? 

For an instant, he imagines going, beyond the weirdness of what it would be like to sit _shiva_ for himself. What it would feel like to drive unencumbered through any of the fifty states—he could take the most direct route back to New Jersey and not be a wanted man—or to walk into his parents’ house again, be _welcomed_ by his mother, and if not exactly welcomed by his father, not outright turned away. There’s temptation there, it shines in his mind’s eye like gold did once, like the promise of adventure had when he was a kid. And for that moment, he is ready to commit, ready to call Shermie back, sort out all the details, and get in the car right now…

But like with all his other pipe dreams, reality comes to slap him in the face.

First, he and Ford looked— _look_ —the same, but they’re not identical. The townspeople here don't know the difference, but his _family_ sure as heck would. What, would he keep his hands in his pockets for the whole week? How’d he figure that out?

But he assuming he could—and he _could_ probably figure something out, gloves, or come up with a story about some dangerous scrape he got into with all his science stuff, some creature that ripped out his extra fingers—something in him knows he wouldn’t be wanted, if anyone knew the truth. 

Pa’d thrown him out for breaking Ford’s science fair machine and wrecking his scholarship. If Pa knew about _this_ , he’d probably hire goons even tougher than Rico’s and have him taken out…that is if he couldn’t be bothered to come to Oregon and hunt him down himself. Either way, he sure as heck wouldn’t let him in his _house_. 

If the situation were reversed—(the situation _is_ reserved—no, don’t think that, Ford’s not dead, he’s _not_!)—if it were _Ford’s_ funeral or memorial service or _shiva_ or whatever, they wouldn’t call Stan to come as himself. They’d grieve for the son they lost, for the son they _loved_ , and they’d leave _him_ out of it.

And if this were all real—if he really were dead, and his family really did call Ford to try and get him to come to a memorial service—Stan knows that Ford wouldn’t go. So he should honor that, right? Try to do what Ford would do while he’s posing as him?

It takes him some time, but eventually he returns Shermie's call, and when he does, he gets his newfangled answering machine. 

“Uh…Listen,” he says, trying to make his voice sound as much as Ford's as he can. “I’m not gonna be able to make it. Too busy with science stuff. Just…” And here Stan pulls the phone away from his face, because if he’s going to be a wimp and start to cry, if his voice cracks, he can’t let Shermie or anybody else know about it. Once he finally gets a hold of himself, he brings the receiver back to him, continues as a final thought before he slams it back down on the cradle: 

“Just tell everyone I’m sorry, okay?”

**Author's Note:**

> A note of vocab: "sitting shiva" refers to the week-long mourning period after a death in Jewish tradition. You can learn more [here.](https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/shiva-what-you-need-to-know/)
> 
> \--
> 
> I hope you enjoyed! I love comments!


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